Trump blamed 'both sides' for Charlottesville attacks and people aren't happy

US President Donald Trump's blame on "both sides" of the Charlottesville clashes between white supremacists and anti-racism protesters is continuing to draw public anger.

Hundreds of torch-wielding white nationalists marched at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville on Friday evening, the day before a planned "Unite the Right" rally in the town billed as the largest gathering of its kind in years.

Some demonstrators made Nazi salutes and shouted "Jews will not replace us" and "white lives matter" as they marched in protest against the removal of a statue of Confederate icon General Robert E Lee.

Saturday's demonstration, which included members of the Ku Klux Klan and a host of white supremacist ideologues, turned violent when protesters clashed with counter-demonstrators challenging the racist and hate-filled rhetoric.

Initially, Trump failed to directly condemn the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other far-right extremist groups for the violence, including the death of anti-fascism protester Heather Heyer.

Eventually on Monday he succumbed to overwhelming pressure demanding him to personally condemn white supremacists who incited the bloody weekend demonstrations.

But on Tuesday he reverted to his initial reaction, placing blame "on both sides".

"You had a group on one side that was bad. You had a group on the other side that was also very violent. Nobody wants to say that. I'll say it right now."

Twitter had something to say back:

— Alex Hirsch (@_AlexHirsch) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post ONE SIDE: Kill all the blacks OTHER SIDE: Don't TRUMP: "Both sides are bad folks" — Alex Hirsch (@_AlexHirsch) August 15, 2017

— Claudia (@theClaudiaInez) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post Worst comments from any @POTUS ever. "Blame on Both sides." History will remember you as the loser you are, Trump — Claudia (@theClaudiaInez) August 15, 2017

Trump also said there were "very fine people" on both sides, which didn't make matters much better...

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post Trump just said there were "very fine people on both sides" in #Charlottesville. I don't know any "very fine" white supremacists, sir. None. — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 15, 2017

Some are shocked at the way in which US politics is regressing:

— Matt Haig (@matthaig1) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post Trump said there are good people on both sides. An American president just said there are good Nazis. Humanity just creaked. — Matt Haig (@matthaig1) August 15, 2017

People are using this instance to call out those who believe that Trump's peddling of the xenophobic narriative was merely an electoral game:

— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post Trump is a racist Icarus…Flew too close to the sun his hood burned off. Now both sides finally see him for who he really is #ImpeachTrump — Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) August 16, 2017

— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou https://t.co/5RyVNJANc3 — Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) August 16, 2017

There were paralells drawn between Trump's discourse and other periods of history:

— Joe Negan (@mynameisNegan) August 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post WW2 vets who fought against the Nazi Fascist will be called today by Donald Trump as Alt-Left. There are no both sides. #ImpeachTrump — Joe Negan (@mynameisNegan) August 15, 2017

— Pin Head (@PiercedSkull) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post "I saw some really rough bad Nazi guards, but you had a lot of violent JEWS in those concentration camps too; BOTH sides." - Donald Trump — Pin Head (@PiercedSkull) August 16, 2017

But for the most part, people are disgusted. And rightfully so...

— whitney (@idkwhitt) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post Trump says that the violence started from both sides yet when #BlackLivesMatter was happening it was only because of BLM? Ok. — whitney (@idkwhitt) August 16, 2017

— Steve (@Steve_ofPA) August 16, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post re-tweet and let everyone know what #trump has done #resistance https://t.co/vK81FGJWbT — Steve (@Steve_ofPA) August 16, 2017